Canadian province of Alberta, home of oil sands, announces climate policy package similar to that recommended in Canadian DDPP report

In the spring of 2015 a newly elected provincial government ordered a review of the province’s climate policies. The review was set up as a three month stakeholder engagement process, based on written submissions, internet engagement, and community open houses. 25,000 online responses and 535 formal submissions were received, including the Canadian DDPP report, submitted by Carbon Management Canada.

On November 20th the outcome of the review was announced. The report and recommended policies focus on preparing Alberta for a global low carbon economy, with a focus on economic diversification, decoupling energy use from economic growth and reducing the carbon intensity of energy. As recommended in the Canadian DDPP report, from which the recommended policy package was quoted prominently, Alberta will be implementing a general carbon tax rising to $30 in 2018, a cap-and-trade system for large emitters like the oil sands, electricity decarbonization regulations, an aggressive methane control program, and energy efficiency policies. The policy package is designed for coordination with trading partners and eventual increased ambition.

“This policy package puts in place all the main tools to eventually decarbonize the Alberta economy, and is a model of its kind for an energy exporter. Even more significant is the broad political consensus behind the policies, from households, environmental NGOs to oil sands firms, established using a first class engagement process” said Dr. Chris Bataille, Simon Fraser University adjunct professor and IDDRI associate researcher, one of the authors of the Canadian DDPP report.

“This is an excellent example of long run decarbonization thinking and stakeholder education feeding back into a policy development process; hopefully it is indicative of other developments associated with the international climate negotiations.” said Dr. Michel Colombier, IDDRI scientific director.